Privacy Policy

YConnect is a talent-matching platform registered in India. We connect engineering students at Indian universities with early-stage startups in Europe for paid remote work.

For the purposes of applicable data-protection law, YConnect is the entity that determines why and how the personal information described in this policy is processed (the "data controller" / "data fiduciary").

You can reach us about anything in this policy at dauren.oberhuber@yconnect.info.

YConnect provides a matching and introduction service. We help startups tell us what they need, and we help students tell us what they can do. When we think there is a fit, we introduce the two sides.

• YConnect does not employ the students who use the platform.
• YConnect does not enter into work contracts between startups and students — the startup and the student contract with each other directly.
• YConnect does not process or hold payments between startups and students.
• Students never pay YConnect to apply or to be matched.

We collect only the information our forms ask for:

• Student applications: name, email, university, degree, selected roles/skills, availability, experience description, optional portfolio link, and your resume/CV (PDF).
• Startup applications: company name, country, contact person name, business email, preferred engagement duration and budget range, roles needed, and a project description.
• Contact form: name, email, the type of enquiry, subject, and your message.
• Technical data: standard server logs (such as IP address used for rate-limiting and abuse prevention) generated when you use the site.

We do not collect your date of birth, government IDs, payment details, or any special-category data through this site.

• Reviewing applications and assessing whether a candidate and a startup are a good fit.
• Introducing shortlisted students to relevant European startups.
• Communicating with you about your application, enquiry, or match.
• Operating, securing, and improving the platform (including abuse prevention).
• Meeting legal and regulatory obligations that apply to us.

Sharing with startups: the purpose of a student application is to be matched. When you apply and are shortlisted or matched, the information in your application — which may include your resume/CV — may be shared with the relevant European startup(s) so they can evaluate and, if both sides agree, contract with you directly. Startups that receive your information are responsible for how they use it under their own obligations.

Service providers: we use a small number of providers to run the platform, including Supabase (database and file storage) and Google Workspace/Gmail (application notification emails). Providers may process data in countries other than your own.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers.

Because our service spans India and Europe, your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries outside your own — including when student application information is shared with European startups. Where required by applicable law, we rely on appropriate safeguards for such transfers.

We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the purposes described above — for example, while an application is active or under review, or while a record is needed to operate, secure, or account for the service. When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it. You may also ask us to delete it earlier (see "Your rights" below). Resumes stored with an application are deleted when the application is deleted.

Depending on the law that applies to you, you may have some or all of the following rights over your personal information:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Ask us to erase your information.
• Object to or restrict certain processing.
• Withdraw consent you have given (which does not affect processing already carried out).
• Receive a copy of information you provided in a usable format.
• Raise a concern with a relevant data-protection authority or board.

To exercise any of these, email dauren.oberhuber@yconnect.info. We will review and respond to genuine requests within a reasonable period. Deleting your application data also deletes the resume stored with it.

India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (and its rules) is being brought into force in phases. To the extent it applies to our processing of your data, we treat you as a Data Principal and aim to:

• Give you a clear notice of what we collect and why before asking for your consent — which is why each application form summarises the data collected and its purpose next to the consent checkbox.
• Let you withdraw consent as easily as you gave it — email us and we will stop the relevant processing and delete your data where required.
• Give you access, correction, erasure, and grievance-redressal rights as described above.

For grievances under this framework, contact us at dauren.oberhuber@yconnect.info. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be able to escalate to the Data Protection Board of India once it is fully operational.

If you are in the EEA, UK or Switzerland, the GDPR or equivalent law may apply to how we handle your personal data — for example, if you are the contact person for a European startup submitting an application. Where it applies, we rely on an appropriate lawful basis for each use (such as your consent for optional processing, our legitimate interest in operating and securing the platform, and steps needed to respond to your requests), and you may exercise the GDPR rights listed in "Your rights and choices" above, including complaining to your local supervisory authority.

YConnect is intended for people aged 18 or older. Every student applicant must actively confirm they are at least 18 before submitting. If we learn that an application was submitted by someone under 18, we will stop processing it and assess deleting the related information, including any uploaded resume.

Our public site does not use analytics, advertising, or tracking cookies. Only strictly necessary cookies are used where required to operate the site (for example, admin sign-in sessions). See our Cookie Policy.

If we change this policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes affecting how we use your information, we may also seek a new confirmation the next time you submit a form.

Questions, requests, or concerns about this policy or your data: dauren.oberhuber@yconnect.info.